NHL January 24th 2013

Ten games to roll with tonight. The first comes from...

Washington, with the Capitals hosting the Montreal Canadiens. Carey Price and Michal Neuvirth receive the starting nods. Montreal got going in the second period with a power play goal by Tomas Plekanec, his second of the season, assisted by Andrei Markov and Raphael Diaz. The Canadiens padded the lead as Markov scored a power play goal, his third of the year, powered by Max Pacioretty and Erik Cole. Montreal added on with a Brian Gionta goal, his second of the season, thanks to Rene Bourque and Diaz. The Canadiens kept going as Josh Gorges scored, with the help of Francis Bouillon and Pacioretty. Washington got on the board in the third period with a Joey Crabb goal, via Jason Chimera and Jay Beagle. This was as close as it got, with the final being 4-1, and the three stars went to Price (30 for 31 in saves), Markov, and Pacioretty, while Diaz gets an honorable mention.

Into Canada, as the Toronto Maple Leafs host the New York Islanders. Evgeni Nabokov and Ben Scrivens are the underwhelming goalies. Toronto began with a first period goal by Carl Gunnarsson, coming off of Cody Fransomn. New York tied it with a Matt Moulson goal, with a lone assist by John Tavares. The Maple Leafs retook the lead as Nazem Kadri scored his third of the season, thanks to John-Michael Liles and Matt Frattin. Toronto added on as Mikhail Grabovski scored his second of the year, with the help of Frattin and Gunnarsson. The Islanders pulled back in the second period as Mark Streit drained a power play goal, courtesy of Brad Boyes and Tavares. New York tied it on a Boyes goal, fueled by Frans Nielsen and Michael Grabner. Grabner gave the Islanders the lead in the third period with his second of the season, made possible by Boyes and Nielsen. New York extended the lead as Keith Aucoin scored a goal, passed from David Ullstrom and Colin McDonald. The Islanders got another as Moulson scored his second of the game, going down unassisted. The Maple Leafs pulled back as Frattin scored, with helpers provided by Kadri and Gunnarsson. New York iced it at 7-4 with Grabner's second of the game and third of the year, an empty net goal needing no assists. The three stars were handed to Moulson, Boyes, and Grabner, while the honorable mentions include Nielsen, Tavares, Gunnarsson, Frattin, and Kadri.

Back stateside, the Philadelphia Flyers bring in the New York Rangers. Henrik Lundqvist and Ilya Bryzgalov are in the blue paint. Philadelphia finally started in the second period as Wayne Simmonds scored, via Nicklas Grossmann and Matt Read. The Flyers struck again as Jakub Voracek scored a power play goal, powered by Sean Couturier and Simmonds. New York got on the board in the third period with a Taylor Pyatt power play goal, his third of the season, made possible by Marian Gaborik. They failed to tie it, falling 2-1, with the three stars going to Simmonds, Bryzgalov (18 for 19 in saves), and Lundqvist (31 for 33 in saves).

South to Raleigh, where the Carolina Hurricanes host the Buffalo Sabres. Jhonas Enroth and Cam Ward will wear the pads. Carolina finally opened in the second period with Jeff Skinner's second of the season, assisted by Jordan Staal and Zac Dalpe. The Hurricanes added on as Justin Faulk scored a shorthanded goal, set up by Jordan Staal. Buffalo got on the board with a Cody Hodgson goal, his third of the year, made possible by Jordan Leopold and Thomas Vanek. The Sabres tied it as Jason Pominville potted his second of the season, with the help of Christian Ehrhoff and Alexander Sulzer. Carolina regained the lead as Skinner scored his second of the game and third of the year, an unassisted goal. The Hurricanes padded the lead with an Eric Staal goal, guided in by Jamie McBain and Joni Pitkanen. Buffalo chipped back in the third period on another Pominville goal, his second of the game and third of the season, helped along by Vanek and Robyn Regehr. Carolina responded as Eric Staal scored his second of the game, with a lone helper coming from Pitkanen. The Hurricanes iced it at 6-3 when Eric Staal finished his hat trick into the empty net, and Dalpe provided the assist. The three stars were given to Eric Staal, Skinner, and Jordan Staal, while Pominville, Pitkanen, Dalpe, and Vanek get the honorable mentions.

Further to the south, the Florida Panthers host the Ottawa Senators. Craig Anderson and Jose Theodore man the creases. Florida led off with a first period Tomas Fleischmann power play goal, powered by Brian Campbell and Tomas Kopecky. Ottawa tied it as Chris Phillips scored a power play goal, passed from Marc Methot and Zack Smith. The Senators took the lead with Erik Karlsson's second of the season, an unassisted goal in the second period. Ottawa iced it at 3-1 with an empty net goal by Jason Spezza, going down unassisted. The three stars were awarded to Anderson (25 for 26 in saves), Karlsson, and Theodore (34 for 36 in saves).

Northwest to St. Louis, with the Blues welcoming the Nashville Predators. Pekka Rinne and Jaroslav Halak are the masked men. St. Louis struck first in the first period as T.J. Oshie scored his third of the season, a power play goal, powered by Patrik Berglund and David Backes. The Blues added on in the second period as Berglund scored his second of the year on a penalty shot. St. Louis extended the lead in the third period as Vladimir Tarasenko scored his fourth of the season, with the help of Alex Steen and Vladimir Sobotka. This made it 3-0, a final, with the three stars handed to Berglund, Tarasenko, and Halak (13 save shutout).

Down in Dallas, the Stars welcome the Chicago Blackhawks. Corey Crawford and Kari Lehtonen guard the cages. Dallas was first on the board in the first period with just one second left as Loui Eriksson scored a shorthanded goal, passed from Derek Roy and Alex Goligoski as his second of the season. The Stars added on in the second period with a Ray Whitney goal, his second of the year, via Cody Eakin. Chicago got on the board when Patrick Sharp scored a power play goal, his second of the season, powered by Patrick Kane and Nick Leddy. The Blackhawks tied it as Jonathan Toews scored his second of the year, a power play goal set up by Sharp and Duncan Keith. Chicago finished it in overtime with Marian Hossa's fifth of the season, a power play goal courtesy of Kane and Sharp. The three stars went to Hossa, Lehtonen (38 for 41 in saves), and Toews, while Sharp and Kane

Northwest again to Colorado, as the Avalanche bring in the Columbus Blue Jackets. Sergei Bobrovsky and Semyon Varlamov are the Russian-conditioned goalies, spending time in the KHL during the lockout. Colorado started in the first period as P.A. Parenteau scored his second of the season, assisted by Matt Duchene and Jan Hejda. The Avalanche added on with a Duchene goal, fueled by Chuck Kobasew and Milan Hejduk. Colorado extended the lead in the third period as John Mitchell potted his second of the year, coming off of Hejduk and Ryan Wilson. The Avalanche ended the scoring at 4-0 as Duchene scored his second of the game, with the help of Parenteau. The three stars were awarded to Varlamov (33 save shutout), Duchene, and Erik Johnson, while Parenteau or Hejduk would be a better choice for the third star.

Up in Canada again, the Edmonton Oilers host the Los Angeles Kings. Jonathan Quick and Devan Dubnyk are between the pipes. Los Angeles finally got going in the second period as Jeff Carter scored, with a lone Kyle Clifford assist. Edmonton tied it in the third period with just five seconds left on a Nail Yakupov goal, his second of the season, coming off of Taylor Hall and Justin Schultz. The Oilers won it with a Sam Gagner power play goal, powered by Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Schultz. This made it 2-1, a final, with Dubnyk (30 for 31 in saves), Quick (37 for 39 in saves), and Yakupov getting the three stars, while Schultz gets an honorable mention.

Finally, we end with the San Jose Sharks hosting the Phoenix Coyotes. Jason LaBarbera and Antti Niemi will protect the nets. San Jose began with a first period Logan Couture power play goal, his third of the season, powered by Joe Pavelski and Joe Thornton. Phoenix tied it in the second period as Steve Sullivan scored a power play goal, his fourth of the year, courtesy of Radim Vrbata and Mikkel Boedker. The Coyotes got the lead in the third period on an Antoine Vermette goal, his second of the season, coming on the power play via Sullivan and Derek Morris. Phoenix added on as Lauri Korpikoski scored his second of the year, thanks to Boyd Gordon and David Moss. The Sharks replied as Patrick Marleau scored his fifth of the season, with the help of Thornton and Matt Irwin. San Jose tied it when Martin Havlat sank his second of the year, assisted by Ryane Clowe and Couture. The Sharks took the lead with another Marleau goal, his second of the game and sixth of the season, fueled by Pavelski and Thornton, the latter getting a sock trick. San Jose iced it at 5-3 with an empty net goal by Thornton, passed from Pavelski, who got a sock trick, and Marleau. The three stars went to Marleau, Thornton, and Couture, while Pavelski and Sullivan get the honorable mentions.

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